The Moran family is an infamous Melbourne-based criminal family,[1] notable for their involvement in the Melbourne gangland killings. Family matriarch Judy Moran lost two sons, Jason and Mark, estranged husband Lewis, and brother-in-law Des to an underworld feud that resulted in the deaths of over 30 criminals.
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| Lewis Moran | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 July 1941 |
| Died | 31 March 2004 (aged 62) Sydney Road, Brunswick, Victoria |
| Charge(s) | Drug trafficking |
| Status | Murdered |
| Spouse | Judy Moran |
| Children | Jason Moran, Mark Moran (stepson) |
Members of the Moran family include:
Lewis Moran was the patriarch and father of Jason Moran. On 31 March 2004 he was shot dead in a club on Sydney Road, Brunswick.[2] At the time of his death he was on bail facing drug trafficking charges. Police had unsuccessfully attempted to keep Lewis Moran imprisoned due to concerns for his safety.
Judy Moran is the matriarch of the family. She was first married to Leslie John "Johnny" Cole, who was shot dead in Sydney drug-related gangland conflict in 1982.[3][4] Judy Moran was divorced from Cole at the time of his death and had begun a relationship with Lewis Moran. On 9 March 2011, Judy Moran was convicted of the murder of Des 'Tuppence' Moran.
On 16 June 2009, Judy Moran and three others were arrested in relation to the murder of Desmond Moran, Lewis's brother, in Ascot Vale on 15 June 2009. Judy Moran was subsequently charged with being an accessory after the fact and remanded into custody.[5] On the night of 16 June her home in Ascot Vale was set on fire in an apparent arson attack.[6]
Desmond "Tuppence" Moran, the brother of Lewis Moran,[1] had publicly claimed to be out of the criminal business.[7] On 17 March 2009 at about 8.50pm (AEDT), he was the target of an unsuccessful assassination attempt outside his home in Langs Road, Ascot Vale. As he sat in his car, a single bullet struck the steering wheel and was deflected from the driver. Moran was in the passenger seat, and witnesses claim to have seen the would-be killer fleeing immediately after firing the single shot.[8]
At about midday (AEST) on 15 June 2009, Moran was shot dead outside the Ascot Pasta and Deli Cafe on Union Road in Ascot Vale.[9] On 16 June, Desmond Moran's sister-in-law Judy Moran and three others were arrested for his murder. Those arrested allegedly include Suzie Kane, sister-in-law of Judy Moran's deceased son, Jason Moran. Judy Moran and Kane were subsequently charged with being an accessory after the fact.[10] In March 2011, Judy was found guilty of his murder and on the 10th of August 2011 she was sentenced to 26 years for the murder of her former brother-in-law Des "Tuppence" Moran.[11]
| Mark Anthony Moran | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 July 1964 |
| Died | 15 June 2000 (aged 35) Aberfeldie, Victoria |
| Alias(es) | Mark Anthony John Cole |
| Status | Murdered |
| Occupation | Personal trainer, pastry cook |
| Parents | Leslie Cole (father), Judy Moran (mother) Lewis Moran (stepfather) |
| Children | 2 |
Mark Moran (born Mark Cole) was the son of Judy Moran and her first husband, Leslie Cole. On 15 June 2000, Mark Moran was killed by two bullets as he was getting out of his car outside his luxury home in Aberfeldie.[2]
| Jason Matthew Patrick Moran | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 September 1967 |
| Died | 21 June 2003 (aged 35) Essendon, Victoria |
| Status | Murdered |
| Spouse | Trish Kane |
| Parents | Lewis Moran, Judy Moran |
| Children | 2 |
Jason Moran was imprisoned on assault-related charges for a brawl in a King Street Nightclub. Alphonse Gangitano was also charged but was murdered before sentencing. Jason Moran was considered a person of interest in Gangitano's murder.
On 21 June 2003, Jason Moran and associate Pasquale Barbaro were shot by a lone gunman whilst watching a Saturday morning Auskick Australian rules football clinic his children were attending.[2] Police feared the murder of Jason Moran would lead to further violence in the Melbourne underworld war.[1]
The family's activities are the primary plot of the controversial television series Underbelly.[12][13]
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